Amid singing of hymns and religious fervour, a procession carrying the relics of three Sikh Gurus started from Punjab's Patiala city, 80 km from here, on Wednesday. The relics of the Sikh gurus will be taken around Punjab in a special religious procession for the next two weeks to enable people to pay their respects and have a closer look at them.

The religious procession, organised by the Punjab government and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), is being undertaken in a specially designed vehicle worth over Rs. 2.25 crore.

The procession will culminate at Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib town on May 20.

The yatra began in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and heads of various Takhts (seats) of Sikh religion.

The holy relics of Guru Gobind Singh include three swords, a set of hair comb, a turban, a chola (robe), one whip, five arrows, one siri sahib (small three inch kirpan), a wooden spear, a small plain steel spear, one big sword and a sword with the word 'Sat Sri Akal Guru Teg Bahadur' the 1713 Samvat (1656) inscribed on the blade.

Of particular interest to the devotees and scholars would be a manuscript written in Guru Gobind Singh's own hand.